Speaking tube handle for phonographs



April 14, 1942. y D. NCR-TON ETAL SPEAKING TUBE HANDLE FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed March 4, 1941 g 48 Je 70 7a L lmachines Patented Apr. 14, 1942 NT OFFICE SPEAKING TUBE HANDLE FOR,` PHONOGRAPHS Y vLeland D. Norton an Bridgeport, Conn., Corporation, New York d Joseph M. Lucarelle,4 .e assgnors to Dictaphone New York, N; Y., a corporation of Application Marchi, 1941, serial No. V381,610 6 claims. gol. 74-503) This invention relates to speaking-tube handles for phonographs, and more particularly to handles which also serve as mounts for phonograph control mechanisms.

It has long been the practice to provide those commercial phonographs known as dictating with control units mounted upon the speaking-tube handle in such manner as to facilitate manipulation by the machine operator as he holds the speaking tube mouthpiece to his lips while dictating, or to his ear while listening back to matter previously recorded.

Control units of this nature generally comprise a control button operatively associatedy with means for transmitting a starting or stopping impulse to the driving mechanism of the phonograph. The transmission may be accomplished mechanically, electrically, or pneumatically. In one known form, the control unit iscooperative with a Bowden-wire element and is mounted within the speaking tube handle in the manner disclosed in U. S. Patent ,1,620,230, wherein the control button has a stem slidably guided in a tube extending into the handle and secured thereto in a fixed position. At itsinner end the stem engages one arm of a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted in a block 'secured Within thev handle in predetermined relation to the button stem guide by means of screws passing through one side of the handle. An arm of the bell-crank engages the end of a Bowden-wire terminal slidably mounted in the said block. The handle comprises a metallic tubular member of cylindrical form provided at one end with a socket for the reception of a mouthpiece, and at the other end with means for attaching the handle of the speaking tube to the dictating machine. Such a control unit is difficult ofl assembly in 4relation to the handle, since there is no positive means within the handle for determining the exact position at which the blocklmust be set to bringv the bell-crank lever into operative relation with the push button, and at the same time bring the screw holes in the block into' registry with theV holes in the handle.

An object of the presentrinvention is to provide a mouthpiece handle for a phonograph speaking-tube having integral means cooperative with the control unit to facilitate their mutual assembly.

A further object is to provide a unitary handle of the character described, made of molded plastic material.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part described hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the'V features of construction, combinations of elements,

v and arrangements of parts as will be exemplied in the structure to be hereinafter described 5 and the scope of the application of which will be l indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention, L l

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section of a speaking-tube handle showing one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and` Fig. 3 is a perspective vview of the end of the mouthpiece which forms a swivel-joint with the handle. u

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thevarious views of the draw- In the construction shown, IIJ is the speakingtube, which at one end (not shown) is operatively connected to the dictating machine, and is connected at the other or outer lend to a handle member I2, as by means of the threaded connection I4. The handle I2, which is preferably made by molding a `thermo-setting plastic ma-v terial, has the generalconformation of .a tube tapering graduallyV from itsfouter to its innerlend where it is internally threaded to receive the externally threaded end of the speaking tube I0. A lock-nut I6 determines they extent to which the tube end enters the handle, and this provides for .variable adjustment of these parts.

The mouthpiece 20 is also a molded plastic tubular member which tapers hornlike, preferably according to exponential principles, from a relatively large mouth 22 down to `a cylindrical neck 24 forming, with a socket portion 26 of the handle, a swivel joint, whereby the mouthpiece may be turned about the axis of the handle. To hold the neck of the mouthpiece to the end of the handle, a self-locking detent is provided which may comprise a split spring' ring 28 adapted to intert within opposing circumferential Within a bore 46 extending longitudinally an opening in the Vwall of thehandle, l2. when l5 dle l2, the block extension"58 will'be coaxiallyv the block 34 is properly securedjwithin thel hanaligned with the stud 62 to permit a tubular portion 64 of the extension toltelescope' within the socket 66 formed Within the stud 62, as shown in Fig. 1.

The block34f also comprises a. baseor flange portion 68 slidably,r yetfsnugly fitted within a groove or way' Y tubular handleV along la longitudinalV line vlocated below and diametricallyoppos'tethe threaded opening 12 whichreceiveslthe stud 62. o In flange the Bowden-wire has the.

movement of the block within the handle, when the position has been reached at which the screw holes 14 align with the screw holes 38, and the guide extension 58 is in coaxial alignment with the stud opening12. The proper assembling of the stud 62 and the actuator 40 having been previously made, it is only necessary to screw the stud into interttingadjustment with'the block extension 58 to complete the assembly of the control unit. After placing the mouth-piece upon- .the handle, the speaking tube and control mechanism will be ready for use, it being under- `might be made attached. to t thegdictating stood that the other ends of the Bowden-wire and speaking-tube have previously been properly machine.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter here- 10,*formed'in the inner wall of the 68: are provided suitableftapped holes 14 registering with the screw; holesv18. in the handle when the block is seated in the groove 1liV with its extension. 58 in coaxial alignment with therstud hole 12 in the` handle. 1

Opposite the base 68`the block 34 isprovided with an upwardly inclined extension 16 bifurcated, as at 18, to receive the .bell-crank lever 42 which is pivotally-mounted within said extension bymeans of apin 80, passing'through corresponding holes in the lever and in the walls of said extension. The bell-crank lever has an arm 82 overlying the end of: the slidable .terminal member of the Bowden-wire, and another arm 84 which extends through ay slot 86 which vertically bifurcates the .block extension 5B. The upper end` ofthe lever"'arm 84 extends into thel guide passage 54 and normally' engagesthe inner end of the actuator plunger152; The actuator is normally heldin theposition shown in Fig. 1 by the,Bowden-wirewhich', ina Well known manner, is resiliently held inthe extended position itl occupiesin the drawing.,A

The wall of' the speaking-tube handle is preferably externally thickened, as;. atA 88, on the same side of. the'handlefasthepositionV or the stud hole 12. This thickening serves.` to provide sufficient wall thickness said stud, and,` belowthe stud', provides aA rib oppositely disposed, with respect .to a hooklike extension positioned adjacentthe Vupper end of the handle. This hook may-serve vto support the handle upon a suitable support when' the machine not. inluse.. andyl with the said rib, aids in conveniently fittinggthe handle to the hand of the operator.` whenpthe mouthpiece is.

beingused. Y f

In assembling, the horn; or mouthpiece being removed, the. Bowden-wire .is 'firstledthrough. the handle yand securely-` iastened to thev block, 34. vThe latter-,isthen slipped into the vupper or larger end of the handle,y and theilange 68 slid downwardly in the groove 1.!! until the end of;v thel extension 16 engages; the opposites Wallof the. handle. including the-,wall 9 2 of the groove 1i), is so proportioned in relation torthe dimension across*` thel block 34;V from ther outside` of; the. flange 68 toa thev end of.: the: zx-tensioni 1li.. aszto stoptfwlther sliding` forl securely. supporting .The inner: taper of the' handle walls,

inbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpretedtas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim: i

1. In a dictating machine, in combination, a speaking-tube handle suitable for connection at one end with. a mouthpiece and at the `other end with a speaking-tube and having a sound passage therethrough from end to end, an actuator mounted in a wall of said handle comprising a member movable in a predetermined path crossing said' sound passage, an impulse transmitting control unit introducible into the interior of said `sound passage through `said one endof the handie and comprisingy means cooperative with said actuator, means for guiding during'assembly said control unit .to a fixed operative position inrelation-'to said actuator, and means for rigidly securingsaid control unitin said position.

2. Ina dictating machine, in combination, a speaking-tube handle suitable for connection at one end with a mouthpiece'and at the other end with a speaking-tube and having a sound passagetherethrough from end to end, an actuator mounted inV a wall of said handle comprising a memberAv movablein a predetermined path crossinglsaid soundpassage, anI impulse transmitting control unit introducibleinto the interiorl of said sound passage through said onel end ofthe handleand comprising means cooperative with said actuator, means for guiding during assembly'said control unitto a iixed operative position in relation-fte said actuator, means for determining they arrival of said control unit at said fixed po sition, andv meansy for rigidly securing said controlunit in' said position.

' 3; In a dictating machine, in combination, a unitaryk molded handlearranged for connection at one endwith a mouthpiece and at the other endwith a speakingetube and having a sound passage therethrough from end to end, an actuatormountedin a; wall of Asaid handle comprising a member movable in a predetermined path crossingL said sound passage, an impulse trans- `mitting control unit introducible into the in terior of said sound passage through said one end, of, the handle and comprisingnmeans cooperative with said actuator, integral means formed' within said'v handle for guiding saidv con- -trol unit to a fixed operative position in relation, togsaid actuator; and meansjfor lrigidly securing. said control.- unit. in said position.

4. In a dictating machine, in combination, a unitary' molded handle arranged for connection 'at one end with a mouthpiece and at the other.v

end with a speaking-tube and having a sound passage therethrough from end to end, an actuator mounted in a wall of said handle compris-v ing a member movable in a predetermined path crossing said sound passage, an impulse transmitting unit introducible into the interior of said passage through said one end of said handle comprising a support and movable means cooperative With said actuator, means formed integrally Within said handle comprising a longitudinally extending groove for guiding said unit support to a xed position in relation to said actuator, and means for holding said unit immovably in said xed position.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a unitary molded handle of tubluar form tapering internally from a socket of one interior diameter at one end of said handle to a threaded area of reduced diameter at the other end of the handle,

having adjacent said one end an external hook projecting outwardly and away from said one end, and having between said ends an internal groove of gradually increasing depth in the direction of said other end.

6. In apparatus of the character described, a unitary molded handle of tubular form tapering internally from a cylindrical socket of one interior diameter at one end of .the handle to a cylindrical socket of reduced diameter at the other end of the handle, having adjacent said one end an extended hook projecting outwardly and away from said one end, and having between said ends an internal groove of gradually increasing depth in the direction of said other end. y y

l LELAN'D D. NORTON.

JOSEPH M. LUCARELLE. 

